User:TierraLamore/sandbox

Lead Section: A relationship breakup, breakup, or break-up is the termination of a relationship. The act is commonly termed "dumping [someone]" in slang when it is initiated by one partner. The term is less likely to be applied to a married couple, where a breakup is typically called a separation or divorce. When a couple engaged to be married breaks up, it is typically called a "broken engagement". People typically think of breakups in a romantic aspect; however, this could also occur in non-romantic relationships. This type of relationship dissolution is usually caused by failure to maintain a friendship.

Models: Several psychological models have been proposed to explain the process of a relationship breakup, many suggesting that relationship dissolution occurs in stages.

Mark Knapp, a foundational scholar on the subject of interpersonal relationships, created a model called Knapp’s Relational Development Model. He describes two separate phases of relationships, coming together and coming apart.

The coming together phase is meant to be long-term, and its phases include initiation, experimentation, intensifying, integrating, and bonding.

In the coming apart phase, differentiating begins. This is when the individuals began noticing differences that may seem unnegotiable or place pressure on the relationship. This leads to circumscribing where the individuals begin to pull apart, set boundaries, and have their own independent lives. This may cause issues to arise. At this point, the relationship reaches stagnation where the couple stays together for other reasons rather than their will to do so. Examples include children. The next stage is avoidance in which the individuals try to stay away from each other as much as possible. They, then, reach termination, where the relationship is over, and they go their separate ways.

There are other various psychologists with their renditions of the stages leading to a breakup:

Stages leading to a breakup[edit]
L. Lee proposes that there are five stages ultimately leading up to a breakup.

Consequences: Depending on the individual, breakups can be stressful, unpleasant, and traumatic events. Both parties could feel a large number of negative effects as a result of the relationship's dissolution, and these events often gain the reputation for being some of the worst events in people's lives. These could include psychological distress symptoms, grief reactions, an overall decline in psychological well-being, and potential stalking behaviors. Individuals often work hard to keep their relationships intact because of how significantly distressing and problematic these negative effects can be, even in the face of potential complications in their relationship, for as long as they can bear it. While the negative symptoms observed may not necessarily fit the definitions of post-traumatic stress as described by the DSM-IV from the American Psychiatric Association, there are some certain symptoms that mirror those from extreme traumatic events and disasters in a person's life. However, not all individuals are exposed to the same level of impact following a breakup, as a result of several mitigating factors based on the quality of the relationship before the dissolution takes place.

Positive effects[edit]
Evidence shows that even in the direst of situations, there is a chance for positive emotions and growth. Breakups are no different, giving victims opportunities for stress-related growth, improving their performance in future relationships, and providing feelings of relief and freedom. Jessica Kansky and Joseph P. Allen conducted a study that followed 160 20 to 25-year-olds, or emerging adults, and observed their romantic and close friend relationships. There was a significant amount of findings, but one of the findings of the study was finding was that the experience of a break-up did prove positive in the long run for several individuals, especially if they knew the reason(s) the relationship ended. These break-ups led to emotional and mental growth in several ways.

Stress-related growth